Present day tire curing is accomplished by a tire curing press which shapes and cures the green or uncured tire carcass and then discharges the cured tire usually on an inclined conveyor at the rear of the press. If post cure inflation is employed, it is generally accomplished by a separate machine positioned at the rear of the press. For example, a post cure inflator (hereinafter “P.C.I.”) can be used that allows the tire to cool in an inflated condition (e.g., 100 psi or other pressure), so as to prevent damage to the tire, such as flat spots or the like. In order to be positioned properly in the post cure inflator, the tire must be restrained or recaught after discharge from the press and properly centered for engagement with the bead engaging rims when the post cure inflator closes. Such restraint and centering devices which engage the outside or tread of the tire are complex and costly, requiring adjustment for different tire sizes. When tires are dropped onto a conveyor, particularly as the result of a stripping or ejecting mechanism imparting a force to the tire, the position the tire may obtain after striking the conveyor can vary widely due to the momentum achieved by the drop or by acceleration down an inclined conveyor, and the inherent resiliency or tendency to bounce in the tire itself. A common complaint about post cure inflators is that the tire restraint or centering devices fail to perform properly. Tires have been known to pass completely through a post cure inflator. Obviously, if the tire is not properly centered, a defective tire will result. Moreover, since the post cure inflator is usually interlocked with the tire curing press, a malfunction in the post curing operation may cause the press to stop. Various examples can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,169,698; 4,124,337; 4,092,090; and 3,075,237 which are incorporated herein by reference.
Additionally, various types of unloading devices for tire presses have been in use or known for a number of years. However, in curing presses which employ an upstanding bladder mechanism, removal of the tire is particularly difficult because of the presence of the bladder mechanism. Moreover, removal of the tire is further complicated by the post cure inflation of the tire after curing in that the tire must be properly presented to the post cure inflator to insure automatic operation. In addition, the cured tire should be removed vertically from the bladder mechanism to minimize chances of a bead being caught by the top of the shaping bladder and being punched or kinked. One example can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,442 which is incorporated herein by reference.
Current technology for post curing devices is generally in the form of 2-position, turnover and elevator type machines. Example disadvantages of these types of devices include, but are not limited to: Large space consuming frames; Costly motors and gear boxes requiring multiple service lines and connections, which cause high plant cost; Un-friendly to maintenance workers and operators, such as requiring access platforms, ladders and lifts required for operator ring change, restricted access to maintenance workers, and/or time consuming troubleshooting and maintenance schedules; Angle discharge of tires resulting in upended and misplaced tire positions; Multiple loading and unloading devices required for tire manipulation; Ring adjustment requires complex and costly machined parts; Accuracy of tire placement and loading of rings not consistent during post cure cycle; and Press to P.C.I. interface requires lengthy setup times with multiple device placement and high accuracy.